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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    McBride BC Canada
    Posts
    3,543

    Default The Raven Project

    I have admired and been influenced by the art and imagery of the North Coast style (Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian). At the same time, I've been very careful not to copy any of it because I'm not related to them. I call it cultural respect. This is my tribute to a most important belief of the Haida (very short version of the story, Raven is a creature of enormous power, influence and trickery)

    Raven Stealing The Light
    In the beginning, everything was dark. Raven had to walk everywhere and kept bumping into things. By curiosity, cunning and trickery, Raven learned that all the light was kept in a box by The-Old-One-Who-Walks-Everywhere. Raven learns where the box is hidden and steals it to return the sun, moon and stars to the skies.

    Carving One: matte black, hard to photograph. A small model for a much larger work. The box is a brassy-looking iron pyrite crystal 23x23x12mm. The eyes are carefully cracked pyrite crystals.

    Carving Two: Raven has returned the stars (quartz stones) and the moon (shaped BC abalone shell) to the dark night sky. The white circle enscribes Raven's power. The great primary wing feathers are spread out above Raven's face, the tail is below the beak. The eyes are BC marine mussel shells. The sun in Raven's beak is a yellow calcite cabochon, no idea where it's from. The heat from the sun spreads out in flames in all directions. The sun will go on the blank black space at the top.

    Carving Three: With the work done and light in the sky, Raven takes the opportunity to examine his reflection in water for the very first time (abalone shell eyes). You might just be able to see streaks of blue sky in the ripples around the reflection.

    Western Red Cedar, acrylic paints, shells, stones & minerals.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    McBride BC Canada
    Posts
    3,543

    Default

    This is a better image of the wall hanging. The little blue& white thing is a 6"/15cm ruler so you can get some idea of size. The wall hanging is 50x58cm, Raven's beak extends 23 cm.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Dundowran Beach
    Age
    76
    Posts
    19,922

    Thumbs up

    Phabulous work!!

    What is it about ravens and crows?? they phascinate people in so many different ways and are part of pholklore in so many regions.

    I am fascinated by the inteeligence of these birds. I see and read of so many examples it makes me wonder why in many cases the family is so reviled.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    McBride BC Canada
    Posts
    3,543

    Default

    The crows migrate out of here for the winter. The Ravens are much bigger birds, seemingly paired up all winter as they forage for food.
    Their behavior is intellligence, simple or complex, I don't know. They exhibit a persistent curiosity to open food trash, look under things. etc.

    They will sit in the trees and watch me work to prepare my vegetable garden for planting. Then, I'll dig little trenches and bury a couple of handfuls of perfectly good food (pea and bean seeds). The next morning, in the cold gray light of predawn, they will land in the garden for the first time, walk along the rows and dig up & eat 95% of the seed.
    They KNOW which rows are tiny carrot seed. Don't even explore.
    They don't care about the cherries, the apples or the grapes.
    I have to cover the rows for 48+hrs with 25mm x 15cm timber to get anything to harvest in 3 months. Once it's sprouted and up, they seem to lose interest.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Eatons Hill Queensland
    Posts
    445

    Thumbs up

    I love the raven reflection and the story that goes with it, an outstanding piece RV The theme of the Ravens and Crows is fascinating as is your combination of materials....great to see....... Kerry

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    McBride BC Canada
    Posts
    3,543

    Default

    As I read the Haida story, there isn't a "Creation" per se. Just a Beginning. Nor does there seem to be a dividing line between the natural and the supernatural, just one long scale with transformations coming and going (hence the "transformation" masks where one opens to reveal another mask inside.)

    Thanks for the compliment. The wall hanging took much more thought to plan than the minimalist carving. Bought that piece of wood in November, 1972, "just in case."

    Split 3cm thick slabs for bent wood boxes today, maybe 12cm cubes. The blacksmith-forged froe is such fun to use. In western red cedar, I can split off 6mm slabs with ease. I split pine handle scales with it also.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    nth coast nsw
    Posts
    1,557

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Robson Valley View Post
    , I've been very careful not to copy any of it because I'm not related to them. I call it cultural respect. This is my tribute .
    Hey RV..I'm assuming from your posts that you are not an indiginous Canadian..
    Interestingly, in Australia any representation of aboriginal work by a non aboriginal is considered cultural appropriation (even in tribute) and is a no go area..
    Many of the symbols have strict protocols as they often depict personal totems and dreamings..
    The belief being that copying will disrespect and dilute their importance..

    what if the hokey pokey is really what it's all about?

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    McBride BC Canada
    Posts
    3,543

    Default

    Underfoot, I am strongly inclined to agree with that view. In my case, I made a conscious effort to ÈinventÈ personal design elements and motifs which are never found or seen in PacNWCoast Native Indian art. In that, I have succeeded. Bodies, eyes, feathers, they are exclusively mine. OTOH, I had no problem doing the Raven Project. I feel that my carvings illustrate aspects of the Haida belief, in my own terms.

    At the same time, I could explore wombats in snow, kangaroos, galahs or goannas and feel no conscience about anybodyès senses, as long as I adhered to a set of design principles and motifs of my own invention.

    That outlines my admiration for the inspiration that some great cultures have given me. At the same time, there is no reason on earth why anybody should not adapt my Èanimal familyÈ shapes to the indiginous wildlife of their country. I attach no iconography to any of it.

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